Delivered To Your INBOX

Aspirin Linked To Reduced Liver Cancer Risk

Aspirin has been linked to the reduced risk of liver cancer, according to a new study. Scientists reviewed data from more than 300,000 male and female patients with hepatocellular carcinoma diagnoses and found that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be an effective part of the treatment routine.

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results on the chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma study. The cancer study was conducted via the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, according to Food Consumer.

After a 10-year follow-up, the scientists discovered that aspirin users had a 37 percent reduced risk of liver cancer and a 51 percent reduced risk of death from liver disease, according to the New York Times. The statistics also indicate that frequency of use — weekly, monthly, or daily — did not make a difference in the health results.

Patients who took non-aspirins such as NSAIDs like naproxen and ibuprofen reportedly had a 34 percent reduced risk of cancer when compared to test subjects who did not. This group of test subjects did not appear to have a decreased risk of death from liver disease.

Epidemiologist Dr. Vikrant V. Sahasrabuddhe, the lead author of the study, had this to say about the research results:

“This had no clinical implications yet. We need more research about the role of inflammation in cancer development.”

Even though the scientific researchers took into account patient lifestyle variables such as smoking, body mass index, and alcohol consumption, the health associations remained. The varying results stemming from the aspirin and non-aspirin NSAIDs groups could indicate the different manner in which each type of medicine inhibits inflammation, a condition which may be a contributor to cancer.